(1) Field of the Inventions
The present inventions relate generally to package sorting conveyor systems, and more particularly, to a conveyor system having an improved conveyor system wheel failure detection module.
(2) Related Art
Conveyor systems having a number of individual carrying carts have been used for many years to carry and sort packages, such as packages including retail apparel. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,054,601 to Sjogren et al. discloses a package sorting conveyor comprised of a train of tilt tray carriers coupled in tandem to form a continuous loop. Each carrier includes a pivotally mounted tilt tray normally maintained in an upright position. The carriers are moved around the loop by a series of motors spaced around the loop. Branching out from the loop are outfeed chutes or the like for receiving packages from the carriers. When a particular carrier holding a particular package to be sorted reaches a selected outfeed chute, an actuator tilts the tray to dump the package into the outfeed chute. Another example of a typical package sorting conveyor is disclosed in International PCT Application Number PCT/DK90/00047 of Kosan Crisplant A/S, now U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,660.
Conventional sortation systems are being placed in increasingly high throughput situations, such as airport luggage sortation, where sortation is time sensitive and minimum conveyor downtime is desired. A heavy and constant sortation load increases wear on a conveyor system, however, scheduling immediate conveyor downtime for repairs is often not possible. This leaves the operator in the situation of choosing between cessation of sortation capabilities during potentially critical times or risking damage to the sortation system if repairs are needed.
For busy conveyor systems, it is often difficult to discern when specific repairs are needed. Therefore, the conveyor system may continue to operate with a deficiency for a duration before the need for repair is recognized. This presents a challenge in that the system may be operating below capacity and/or creating a potential for more damage to occur, which may result in higher repair costs and more downtime.
One way of addressing the above described situation, for example, in individual tilt-tray conveyors, has been to take the individual tilt-tray off-line while keeping the rest of the conveyor system active. This may work temporarily in some conveyor system scenarios, however, in some situations, even taking a damaged individual tray offline, may not prevent further damage that can be extremely costly and detrimental to sortation schedules.
Therefore, there remains a need for systems and methods for improved conveyor systems, particularly systems where repairs are needed for conveyors in high throughput scenarios.